Reflection: Mid- Term

Written by Gabriella Jarosz on October 7, 2021

 

When it came to writing source-based essays in high school, there were a number of things that I did this semester that built on the work that I had already done the previous semester, which I found to be particularly beneficial. Among these considerations are the writer’s or author’s genre as well as their stance. Due to the fact that I can see exactly how the author is portraying their general message through the essay, I am able to better understand the purpose of the essay. Previously, I would try to keep my essays short and simple because I couldn’t actually source too many details in my story, and I didn’t understand the author’s stance on the issue, so I would try to keep my essays short and simple. Because of the way I was taught to write paragraphs, there were numerous instances in which my paragraphs did not contain more than 5 sentences. “KISS” (Keep It Simple, Silly) was a phrase that my previous English teachers would always tell me to remember so that I wouldn’t bore my audience.

When it comes to writing essays that are based on sources, I always make a point of pulling out important details that can support the purpose of the source and highlighting or putting those key details into bullet points so that I can refer back to them when necessary.

At the moment, I’m working on a paper for my Neurotoxicology class, which will necessitate me conducting research on the subject matter. As a result of reading articles and certain excerpts, it will be necessary for me to comprehend what they are saying and decipher what they are attempting to say. In this way, when I am looking for articles, I will almost certainly come across key points that will assist me in determining the rhetorical analysis, purpose of the article, and stance of the author of the article.

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Reflection: Inquiry Based Essay

Written by Gabriella Jarosz on November 29, 2021

 

This course has taught me how to improve my writing in a variety of ways. I have always thought that my writing was good, not great, but it wasn’t until recently I have come to realize that they were not so good as I thought.

I was lacking important parts, elements that piqued my audience’s interest in my writing and made my essays appear long and tedious. When it came to writing, I didn’t know much about how it was arranged or what my true objective was for doing so. Of course, I knew I wanted my audience to understand what I was saying, but I wasn’t quite hitting the mark.

I used to write solely for the sake of writing. I maintained things grammatically accurate, strayed from my usual “go to” phrases with “exuberant” terms and language, and I always wanted my paragraphs to be longer than the mind could grasp.

This is what I’ve realized: my writing was boring!

I was always told to make my paragraphs consistent and to the point, but how could I when I had no idea what I was writing about? My past professors never fully taught me how to organize an essay. All I learned was MLA Format and how to improve on specific words and phrases.

I learned how to write a proper essay, as well as numerous varieties, during the duration of this course. Before you begin writing an essay, you must first decide on a topic that will guide the rest of your work. After you’ve decided on a topic, you’ll need to figure out what you want to achieve and who you’re writing for; this will influence how you format your writing.

When it comes to writing, you want to make sure your readers are paying attention. Are you going too far off track? Are you always talking about the same thing? These are things to be mindful of, as they may cause your audience to become lost in your writing. This is where genre comes in; genre is crucial to your tone and writing since it aids writers in organizing information and preparing viewers to read their work. The author’s tone determines how he wishes to express his writing: cheerful, sad, or angry. Both of the writer’s goals are perceived by the audience.

When writing a source-based essay, it is critical that you have a thorough understanding of the material you are writing about. It’s also critical to snag vital data from your source so you can rely on them or refer to them later. When sourcing, you must always reference your work and give credit to the author, and you cannot use that source’s exact words/ phrases.

This course has taught me a great deal. It’s also getting ready for what’s to come: additional writings. In my future writing, I will continue to apply what I learned in the course.

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Reflection: Final

Written by Gabriella Jarosz on December 6, 2021

 

When it comes to writing, figuring out the rhetoric of your writing is really beneficial to your writing abilities. Knowing who my target audience was becoming increasingly vital to my writing process for me. When you know who you’re writing for, you can effectively select what material to include, how to organize that content, and what kinds of supporting elements are necessary for the reader to comprehend what you’re providing. It also has an influence on the overall tone and organization of the content. In order to construct and effectively communicate a convincing argument, you must be able to connect with and engage your audience.

For my essay “Obesity Epidemic: Can Intermittent Fasting Help?”  I t was crucial for me to recognize the wide range of audiences that my work would appeal to because I needed to consider what my audience might already be familiar with. I wanted to make certain that I gave the readers with the information they required without overloading them with stuff they may already be familiar with. Another thing I kept in mind was their own point of view on the matter. It is critical to consider this before beginning your writing so that you may write in a manner that is appealing to your target audience.

When you’re speaking to an audience that agrees with you, you’ll want to emphasize why their point of view is a constructive or helpful one, and you may even want to argue in favor of a certain course of action or conclusion. You’ll want to reaffirm their point of view, but you should avoid flattery and excessive praises because this might come off as false on your part. It is possible that you will be obliged to write to an audience that is opposed to, if not hostile to, your viewpoint. Instead of informing an audience that their point of view is improper or inaccurate, attempt to illustrate why a shift in perspective might be helpful to them.

My genre was another rhetorical tactic that was utilized. Genre is pivotal because you have to recognize what precisely would entice your audience. The genre in which you write can have an impact on your writing because genres allow readers predict what they are likely to discover in a document and how they might put the information in the document to use. You can make strategic decisions about what information to include and how to convey it after you have a complete sense of what your readers are looking for from you. When the target audience or the environment shifts, a genre must be revised to accommodate the new circumstance. An argument that previously worked with some readers or in a particular context may no longer work with different readers or in a different context in the future.

Rhetorical devices have been explored extensively throughout this semester as something that is essential in writing. My information gained in this subject has been applied to my other courses. The acknowledgement of your audience when speaking about public health is extremely crucial because the subject of public health is generally considered to be monotonous and uninteresting. As a result, my genre has become extremely important because it is what will attract my target audience. As a result, I added visuals and diagrams throughout my writing to assist my readers in concentrating on my writing.